Fodder-harvesting machine



' 2 Sheets-Sheet '1.

(No Model.)

J. P. HART. FODDER HARVESTING MACHINE.

No. 425,609. Patented Apr. 15,1890,

(No Model.) 2ySheets-Sheet- J. P. HART. FODDBR HARVESTING MACHINE.

No. 425,609. 9. Batented Apr. 15, 1890.

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WITWZSSE'S UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB P. HART, OF UPPER SANDUSKY, OHIO.

FODDER-HARVESTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 425,609, dated April 15, 1890.

Application filed June 24, 1889. Serial No. 315,449. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AOOB I. HART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Upper Sandusky, in the county of Wyandot and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fodder-Harvesting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in the different parts necessary to construct a practical and efficient fodder-harvesting machine; and it consists of certain novel features hereinafter fully described and claimed.

I11 following the description given reference will be necessary to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference refer to corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved fodder-harve'ster complete. Fig. 2 is a detail showing a section of the rear platform N, the gate, and the locking-rod Z, and brace X. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the bottom of my harvester. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation.

Proceeding to describe the construction of my invention, I provide a front platform A, on the under and rear edge of which. I place an iron band H, which serves as the axle, the ends of which are bent upward 011 each side and serve as a means for attaching the adjustable axles upon which the carrying wheels are placed. Upon each side of such front platform I attach side bars B B, which are to be erected in a suitable position and extend to the rear end of the dropping platform N, and in connection with the rear gates U U, which are hinged at the rear ends of side bars B B, and upright braces L L form the side frame-work of my harvester. The platform A is to be of a suitable width to enable the stationary knives D D on each side to be in proper'position to each receive a row of corn. I

To properly receive and guide the stalks to the stationary knives D D, the same are placed at the rear of notches or months in the platform, while the extending noses c c assist in this operation.

Midway between the center of the platform and the sides thereof I erect upon each side the table 0, consisting of the supports P P and laterals 0 0. The object of this table is primarily to provide a means of support for the binding-rack T T. Such binding-rack T T may be of wood or metal, so formed that the rear ends shall be connected by a U- shaped loop, the ends of which point rearwardly and are notched on their inner side, as shown at i. The rack is further provided with the roller S, which may be provided on one end with suitable handle for turning same. To one end of this roller is attached a cord or chain 8, while the other end is provided with a small pin 8. The object of this cord will be hereinafter referred to.

To assist the stationary knives D D in cutting the stalks, I provide upon eaoh side revolving knives E E, which are suitably journaled in the projecting ends of platform A and operate from beneath by suitably-arranged bevel cog-wheels and pulley-wheels properly secured and held in position by journal-boxes G and J J. The journal operating the revolving knives E E extends above the center of such knives sufficiently to form an attachment for the perpendicularshafts Q Q, to the upright ends of which are secured the reels Y Y, having arms y y, as shown. Immediately in the rear of the reels Y Y, I attach to the upper side bar B the inwardly-reaching springs Z) Z).

In order to form a continuation of the front platform A, I pivotally attach to the lower side bars 13 the dropping platform N. To the middle of the upper side of the dropping platform N, I attach longitudinally its entire length operating-lever K, the front end of which is continued so as to reach to the front edge of platform A, and is there secured in position in stays a a by a suitably-arranged pin. Midway between the operating-lever K and the sides of platform N, I place 1011- gitudinal ribs or n, which reach the entire length of such platform. The gates U U, being secured at their outer ends to side bars B B, are secured in the center by means of suitably-provided eyes V' V, in which is to be placed the locking-rod Z when it is desired to secure the gates.

'In order to additionally brace the upper side of the gates, I provide an inward-reach- 'the' rows.

ing brace X, the front end of which is secured to the upper side of the front end of by locking-rod Z. The perpendicular shafts Q Q are suitably journaled to the inner sides of the side bars B B. Reaching transversely across the middle of dropping platform N, I arrange the sliding bar W, provided 011 its under side with notches w w to coincide with the longitudinal ribs and operating-lever K. On each end of sliding bar W ropes or other suitable appliances are attached, the front ends being provided with hooks to engage with each other, while the rear ends are provided with rings, the object of which will hereinafter be referred to.

Proceeding now to describe the operation of my invention, the machine is designed to be operated with one horse as a motive power, andtwo men upon the machine within the table receive the corn as it comes from the reels. The machine is constructed so as to out two rows of corn each time it is drawn through the field, the horse traveling between The revolving knives E E revolve immediately above the stationary knives D D, severing the stalks as they are guided to such knives by means of the forward-reaching noses c c and the rounded ends of the platform A, while the reels Y Y place the severed stalks in position upon the inward-reaching springs b b, where they may be secured by the, men provided for the purpose and placed in an upright position against the gates U U and upon the rear platform N. When a sufiicient number of stalks has been gathered, the rope attached to rollerS at pin 8 is placed within, the groove 15 and then brought entirely around the stalks of fodder upon the rear platform and the free end of same attached to the pin .9 on the other end ofrollerS. The handle on the end of roller S is then turned, causing the slack end of the rope to be taken up and the fodder bunched tightly in a shock, when it maybe secured by twine or other suitable material. The roller S may then be reversed, releasing the rope around the shock, when the bindingrack T T may be elevated. The pin in the stays may then be withdrawn, releasing the front of lever K, while the locking-rod Z is removed from the eyes V V of the gates, enabliug such gates to be opened and further causing the rear of platform N to drop to the ground. The forward endsof the rope in sliding bar W are hooked together around the base of the front side of the shock, while the rear ends of such rope having the rings are to be secured to the earth by a pin or other suitable means, when the machine may be started, and by such action the shock is withdrawn from the platform N. The forward end of operating-lever K is then again secured in stays a a, the gates are again closed, and binding-rack T T is thrown back into position, and the machine is ready to repeat the operation. "The gates UU are provided on their inner sides with projecting eyelets arranged to receive the locking-rod Z, which passes through such eyelet, thereby securing the gates when closed. The bar X extends from the front end of the lever K back to the top of rod Z, by which it is secured in such position by said rod passing through a hole provided in the end of said brace.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. .The combination, with a fodder-harvesting machine having revolving and stationary knives, of the dropping platform N, hinged to the stationary platform A and provided with the forward-reachinglever K and longi- Qtudinal ribs 12 n and the sliding bar W, having ropes attached to the end thereof, as set forth.

2. The combination, with a fodder-harvest in g machine having stationary and revolving knives, of the inward-reaching gates U U, hinged to the rear ends of side bars B B and secured at their inner ends by locking-rod Z and brace X, as shown.

3. The combination, with a fodder-harvesting machine having revolving and stationary knives, of the sliding-bar W, provided on its under side with notches w to coincide with the longitudinal ribs 11 n and lever K, the inward -reaching springs 12 b, reaching inwardly from the side bars B B, and the bindingrack T '1, provided with roller S and attached to table 0, all substantially as described, and for the purpose named.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB P. HART, Witnesses:

M. H. BRINKERHOFF, W. F. PooL. 

